A more humane, less costly alternative to throwing drug addicts into prison is a key goal of a Lakeshore-area social justice group.

A legislative study committee voted Wednesday to recommend several changes to Wisconsin’s treatment courts system.

Even before Dane County Circuit Judge Sarah O’Brien crunched the numbers, she knew something was amiss. Her strongest evidence: “The courtroom didn’t look right when I walked in.”

The state Attorney General’s Office is allocating $1.5 million in grants to 14 criminal diversion programs across the state.

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced a grant program Friday that will divvy $1.5 million between county court systems in Wisconsin that do not have a treatment or diversion program for defendants.

The financial partnership between Wisconsin counties and the state court system provides a justice system with a high rate of return on investment for the people of Wisconsin, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson told members of the Wisconsin Counties Association on Wednesday.